The History on Film Podcast

Welcome to Musical May 2025! Here is the release schedule for the month:May 5: "West Side Story" (1961)May 12: "Cabaret" (1971)May 19: "Xanadu" (1980)May 26: "Les Miserables" (2012)

Ross talks with Dr. Claudia Calhoun about her recent book, Only the Names Have Been Changed and the history of Dragnet. They cover the show's reception, its multiple iterations, and how it reflected changes to American policing. They also discuss the show's legacy and its outsized role in shaping narratives around tv cops- from "Law and Order" to "Reno 911!".FURTHER READING:Calhoun, Claudia. Only the Names Have Been Changed: Dragnet, the Police Procedural, and Postwar Culture.FURTHER LISTENING:Dragnet radio recordings!

Ross and Ryan are joined by historian Max Felker-Kantor to talk all about anti-drug films and Max's new book on the history of the infamous D.A.R.E. program. Together, they look at how drug abuse awareness programs have changed in America, how they haven't, the role that these films have in shaping our relationships to policing, and which Teenage Mutant Nina Turtle is appropriate for a conversation about not using marijuana.FURTHER READING:Felker-Kantor, Max. DARE to Say No: Policing and the War on Drugs in SchoolsFURTHER WATCHING:Reefer MadnessThe Narcotic StoryDrug TalkCartoon All-Stars to the Rescue!FURTHER LISTENING:Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue! - What a Cartoon podcast

Ross and Ryan talk to author and podcast host David Moscrop about a few of his recent articles on the (dismal) state of the media industries. Topics include the dangers of digital "ownership" and the obsolescence of physical media, Netflix slop, what to order at the movie theater concession stand, and the battle over book access on the Internet Archive.FURTHER READING:Digital Ownership and the End of Physical MediaWelcome to the Era of Garbage Film and Television StreamingCopyright Keepers Just Destroyed a Huge Digital LibraryMoscrop, David. Too Dumb for Democracy? Why we Make Bad Political Decisions and How We Can Make Better Ones.FURTHER WATCHING:The Lion in Winter (1968)FURTHER LISTENING:The David Moscrop ShowFollow the show on Instagram! @histonfilmpodOr email us at historyonfilmpodcast@gmail.com

Ross and Ryan are in office hours this week, discussing the last batch of episodes as well as what is coming up ahead. Ross talks about the production history of 2001's "Final Fantasy: the Spirits Within" and the impact it had on Hollywood despite flopping at the box office. And there's a fun trivia game!We want to hear how you did on the trivia game! Email or post your score on social media with the tag #HoFCast, and we'll send you stickers!Ross: 17/20Ryan: 15/20Make sure to check out our recent appearance on the Pop Culture Basement podcast to hear all about the early days of Pokemon fandom in the US!Follow the show on Instagram! @histonfilmpodOr email us at historyonfilmpodcast@gmail.com

Ross and Ryan are joined by award-winning actor/director/musician/writer/impressionist Stephen Sorrentino! We talk about his newest project, Amends of the Father, and so much more. Hear about what goes into running a film festival, the current state of independent moviemaking, Mr. Sorrentino's incredible life in the film industry, and so much more.NOTE: There are spoilers for Amends of the Father in the second half of the episode, but there is a clear warning before we get into them. Make sure to watch the movie and then come back to hear us talk all about it!FURTHER WATCHING:Amends of the FatherFollow the show on Instagram! @histonfilmpodOr email us at historyonfilmpodcast@gmail.com